


Silcobon and Cobb

by the_only_education_worth_having



Series: Requested Fics [7]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-06
Updated: 2017-12-06
Packaged: 2019-02-11 12:03:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,881
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12934872
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_only_education_worth_having/pseuds/the_only_education_worth_having
Summary: Lily Cobb lives in a weird world. But there's so much more she's yet to discover.





	Silcobon and Cobb

**Author's Note:**

> This was a requested fic and prompt given about a OC created by another writer.

The gravel road was a long and winding, lined with trees either side of it which looked bewitching and spooky in the low moonlight, and lily’s car moseyed along it at a steady pace. The road broke into a wider stretch as the trees opened into a field. Lily’s car slowed to a stop as the road disappeared into the grass and she parked near the tree line before climbing out of the antique car which groaned as she stepped out of the door, leaving her driver behind. The field was lined with more trees and a long, weathered brick wall whose ends met each other with a rusted iron gate. Lily moved quickly through the unkempt grass towards the gates. Through the rusted iron bars, she could see her destination. A giant pinstriped tent. It was large and dirty and its sides flapped in the breeze that rapt through the vast open space.

Though her legs weren’t long Lily reached the gate quickly and was able to heave it open and slip inside. The field was empty, and she seemed to be the only form of life around for miles and miles. She walked through the grass, which had grown longer inside the confines of the gates, and she felt it tickle her legs as she moved. Around the tent were old, discarded rides. Rusted through bad weather and abandonment. She took note of them for a moment, pausing in her quest to take in the atmosphere.

It was eerie, though Lily didn’t mind, she didn’t understand why she had been asked to come here. It was a letter in the mail that had enticed her to come. It was a handwriting she recognised, though she couldn’t place where from and it spoke of an old family heirloom which was to be found at the abandoned ‘Silcobons’ circus, which was located across town in an old abandoned lot. She dug around for the piece of paper that the letter had come on and looked at the neat scrawl that gave her the instructions.

_My Dearest Lily,_  
_You will find the heirloom you’ve been missing at the old Silcobon Circus. When you see it you’ll know it’s for you._  
_It will guide your way through times of darkness, though you must provide the light._  
_All my love._

She moved along, clutching the note that was now becoming splodged with the drops of rain that were falling on her rapidly from above. Slotting the note back into her pocket she jogged to reach the entrance of the tent as quick as she could. She pulled the flap back which revealed a large open space. It had clearly once been the place where the huddled masses had gathered to watch the show. The benches and chairs which had once been lined neatly around the area were now in disarray and lay around the hard dirt floor. Lily moved through the seating area until she reached the open floor. The ground was covered in loose amounts of straw and scraps of rubbish. Lily’s eyes scanned the area but found it empty, what could the note mean? It seemed as if something or someone was waiting for her – but she couldn’t possibly see what it could be. She scouted around, looking for any hint of what it could be. There was a raised stage within the tent and figuring this was her best bet she moved towards it and clambered up onto its hard wooden boards. The curtains were drawn across it so once she was on the apron of the stage she had to fight herself through the heavy, dusty, velvet fabric. It was dark behind the curtain and whatever light that had been present in the tent was blocked by the curtains so Lily had to fumble her outfit until she found her cigar lighter. She pulled it out and flicked the top open, rolling the switch and igniting a flame to light her way. The light cast a low glow over the stage and she could see the outline of two hefty objects.

Moving forward she felt around with her hand – finding a hard-wooden surface. She looked closely, her lighter showing her it was a piano. Could this be the heirloom she was looking for? She wasn’t sure. Turning around she looked at the other object that was tucked halfway in the wings. It stuck out onto the stage – a long tubular protrusion attached to a large wooden block. Lily couldn’t make it out properly and her frustration had mounted, forcing her to dash to the wings closest to her and find the pull for the curtain. It took both hands to move the rusted pulleys and make the curtains open, allowing the light to flood in. No longer needing her lighter, she placed it back in her jacket pocket as she moved towards the machine.

It was a cannon. Old and clunky – it took up most of the side of the stage. Lily moved around it curiously. It was the only other thing beside the piano in here – surely it had to be the heirloom. Lily’s eyes traced over it as she weighed up her options. She didn’t know what or who could possibly want her to have a cannon and so she pondered the note once more, bringing it out of her coat pocket along with her cigar and lighter once more. After sparking up a cigarette she re-read the note hoping for some inkling of what was going on but she had no more insight. Defeated she moved around the cannon once more hoping it would reveal an answer. As she moved around the back something caught her eye.  
On the base of the cannon was an old plaque which had long since faded over time. It was dull and scratched and though the colouring in the inscription had long since faded the etching of the words ‘Silcobon Family Circus, est. 1734. Resources donated by Cobb Company fund’ were vehemently visible.

This was it. She was ecstatic that she found what she was looking for but she was still none the wiser. What was she supposed to do with a cannon? And how was it supposed to guide her way? She contemplated it, allowing the cigarette in her hand to become long forgotten and its ash to grow longer by the second, leaving barely any cigarette behind. As its weight toppled it to the ground she took notice, placing it to her lips and inhaling the last of what she could before discarding it with a flick of her finger.

She was flummoxed. What was she supposed to do? She moved around the tent hoping for some inspiration. Jumping down from the stage she roamed around the open area though nothing caught her eye. She heaved fallen benches and chairs to an upright position though it seemed a futile exercise. As she got to the back of the room she found a chest and though the latch stuck she managed to prize it open relatively quickly. A foul stench hit her nostrils from the old chest and she very nearly threw up.

It was stacked with a mess of papers and photos, many were newspaper clippings. Tentatively Lily reached a hand in and scooped up a mix of papers. Her eyes ran over the many headlines, programme titles and reports about the circus. She flicked through the stack of photos that accompanied it placing them beside her as she did. There was only one that caught her eye.

  
‘ **SUCCESS FOR THE SILCOBON FAMILY CIRCUS WITH NEW ACT.**  
**Flocks of people crowds have gathered to see the new act that is heating up the new circus scene. Vanessa Cobb, see right, joined the company earlier this year and has since wowed crowds with her human cannonball act. Pictured to the right in her cannon, Cobb uses her mysterious cannonball to disappear. Armed with her trusty lighter she climbs inside and is fired into an unknown place. As famously quoted ‘A Magician Never Reveals their secrets’ and so we will never know how she does it. But it is fun for all the family.’**

Details for the show were listed below though Lily only looked at the picture, which showed Vanessa Cobb whom she assumed to be a relative posed in the cannon. She had long wavy hair and a brilliant smile. Her tiny stature was crammed into the grand cannon and Lily couldn’t believe how much she looked like her mother. This relative was practically her twin. She re-read the article and the note side by side and assumed that the guidance it referred to was something to do with the cannon.

Being brazen she got up from her space on the floor and marched back to the cannon. She inspected it closely before deciding she was to get in it. But what would it do? The cannon was lit in the act. Pulling out her lighter she grasped another cigarette and lit it contemplating what to do. Then in a flurry of movement, she decided and quickly used her cigarette to light the fuse that was begging to be lit before moving to the end of the cannon and hefting herself inside. It was a tight squeeze. Her relative mustn’t have been much bigger than her to have fit in here every act. She thought of her mother and home as she heard the cannons fuse hiss down to its nub, threating to blast her. This was a crazy idea and she didn’t know what she was actually doing. But her mother’s ancestor and duplicate, the letters words and her mother’s voice in her mind egged her on.

The fuse ticked further and she could feel the cannon warming around her, making her sweat though she was sure it wasn’t entirely the cannons warmth.

The cannon rumbled as purple smoke gathered from its base and enshrouded lily, making it impossible to see. She was warm, blind and unsure as to what was going on. The rumble grew louder and she felt as if she might die. Panicked her mind flicked to all she loved. Her family, her home. She wished she had never thought this was a good idea. That she had never climbed in. So, what if it was hers? It was a trick, a magic illusion and now she’d used it to blow herself up. A loud bang and the cannon dropped. She closed her eyes and felt herself being flung a great distance. The inertia made her feel sick and she was sure it was the end. She hit the ground with a thud.

As the cloud of purple smoke disappeared she could see once more and it revealed her to be sat on the cold hard tile of the entrance hall of her house. She moved, uneasily, and looked around. She didn’t know how she had gotten here. It had been the last place she had thought of before the cannon had exploded. But she was sure she hadn’t been blasted home, safe and sound. She got up though a wave of dizziness hit her like a ton of bricks. She steadied herself and forced herself up. She had to find out what had happened.


End file.
